Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said she and 14 others will meet in person on Thursday to discuss the situation of women and human rights in Iran, Joly’s office said, adding that it would give them an opportunity to coordinate efforts and to discuss “ways to increase their collective support for the Iranian people.” “My counterparts and I will come together to send a clear message: the Iranian regime must end all forms of violence and persecution against the Iranian people, including violent attacks against women in particular,” Jolie said. “Canada will continue to stand with the courageous Iranians fighting for their human rights and defending their mothers, sisters, wives and daughters. Women’s rights are human rights,” she said. Foreign ministers from Germany, Chile, New Zealand and Norway are among 14 to join Canada, a government source said. France will join the call, but Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna will not, the source said. Officials will hear from women of Iranian heritage, Joly’s office said. Joly announced additional sanctions on Wednesday for human rights abuses in Iran, targeting four entities and six individuals, including Iran’s deputy interior minister, Majid Mirahmadi. While the current turmoil does not appear close to toppling the Iranian government, the situation has raised international concerns as talks over Iran’s nuclear capabilities appear deadlocked and Tehran moves to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Iran has accused countries that have expressed support for the protests of meddling in its internal affairs. Mahsa Amini, who was originally from Iran’s Kurdistan region, died on September 16 after being arrested three days earlier by the morality police in Tehran for her “inappropriate attire”. Other countries expected to attend the meeting are Albania, Andorra, Central African Republic, Chile, Iceland, Kosovo, Libya, Liechtenstein, Mongolia and Panama.
